Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a missile strike that left a Dutch-flagged cargo ship ablaze and drifting in the Gulf of Aden, marking one of their most serious attacks in months.
The assault on the vessel Minervagracht took place Monday, far from the Red Sea where the Iranian-backed Houthis have already sunk four ships since November 2023. The strike comes as Israel presses a new ground offensive in Gaza and ceasefire talks remain uncertain, while tensions across the region rise following renewed UN sanctions on Iran.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group fired a cruise missile at the Amsterdam-based Spliethoff-owned ship, accusing the company of breaking an “entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine.”
Initially, the U.S. Navy-run Joint Maritime Information Center reported the ship had no Israeli ties, but later said it was “reviewing vessel affiliations for possible links.”
Two crew members were wounded in the attack. The ship’s 19-member multinational crew — from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka and Ukraine — was forced to abandon the vessel after it sustained heavy damage. The European naval mission Operation Aspides confirmed the ship was on fire and adrift following the rescue.
Houthis’ drone attack wounds 22 in southern Israel amid ongoing Gaza conflict
The Houthis have carried out more than 100 missile and drone strikes on ships and also targeted Israel, claiming the actions show solidarity with Palestinians. However, many of the vessels hit have had little or no connection to Israel.
The latest strike extends their campaign into the Gulf of Aden, where the last reported Houthi attack on a commercial ship occurred in August 2024. Their operations have already disrupted global trade in the Red Sea, a route that once carried around $1 trillion in goods annually.
The rebels briefly paused attacks during a Gaza ceasefire but later became the target of weeks of U.S.-led airstrikes before President Donald Trump declared a truce with them. Their campaign so far has killed at least eight sailors and sunk four ships.
On Wednesday, the Houthis also announced sanctions against several American oil companies, including Chevron, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil, as well as individuals and two ships — a step they have previously used before launching new strikes.
Source: AP